Photo: Volkswagen
For almost a decade, Tesla has been the king of the electric car realm. Even if, for the better part of these past ten years, it had its share of problems, the American carmaker managed to change the auto landscape more and faster than any other before it. But the competition is catching up.
The single biggest threat to Tesla's supremacy today is the Volkswagen ID.3. The newcomer has proved to be as much of a hit as any other car touched by the genius of the Germans. Granted, it is too young on the market to make a difference right now, but it, and the ID. family that will accompany it, will probably overcome Tesla in the years ahead.
And the early signs of that are already here.
Back in September, two German drivers, Rainer Zietlow and Dominic Brüner, set out to complete a 12,400-mile (20,000-km) journey across Germany, using an ID.3 Pro S for the task. The two-or-so-months-long journey concluded on December 1, granting the duo and their machine the unofficial title for “the longest, continuous drive with an electric vehicle in a single country.”
During the run, several interesting findings came to light. First, the car was plugged in at 652 quick-charging stations and proved that intensive use does not harm the car or its systems.
Secondly, it was found that the ID.3 in this configuration eats up 19 kWh per 100 km (62 miles), while the longest run on a single charge was 420 km (261 miles). For reference, the Pro S uses a 77 kWh battery, which should hit the market in early 2021.
In early November, Volkswagen announced an average consumption of 15 kWh for every 62 miles in city driving, thus less than the average value achieved overall. The car's official top range is rated at 549 km (341 miles, WLTP).
And the early signs of that are already here.
Back in September, two German drivers, Rainer Zietlow and Dominic Brüner, set out to complete a 12,400-mile (20,000-km) journey across Germany, using an ID.3 Pro S for the task. The two-or-so-months-long journey concluded on December 1, granting the duo and their machine the unofficial title for “the longest, continuous drive with an electric vehicle in a single country.”
During the run, several interesting findings came to light. First, the car was plugged in at 652 quick-charging stations and proved that intensive use does not harm the car or its systems.
Secondly, it was found that the ID.3 in this configuration eats up 19 kWh per 100 km (62 miles), while the longest run on a single charge was 420 km (261 miles). For reference, the Pro S uses a 77 kWh battery, which should hit the market in early 2021.
In early November, Volkswagen announced an average consumption of 15 kWh for every 62 miles in city driving, thus less than the average value achieved overall. The car's official top range is rated at 549 km (341 miles, WLTP).
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